Legislation has already been pre-filed for the legislative session starting in January calling for a moratorium on the state’s public education accountability system and its focus on high-stakes testing. State Board of Education member Thomas Ratliff, R-Mount Pleasant, has offered his perspective in the following column. Quite simply, high-stakes testing is sucking the individuality and creativity out of classrooms […]
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In my November 24 article about state Rep. David Simpson, R-Longview, and his remarks to the Harris County chapter of the John Birch Society, I made a mistake. I thought he said that after his eyebrow-raising wrangle last session with state Rep. Senfronia Thompson, D-Houston, over her so-called puppy mill bill, he subsequently helped her […]
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So, will he or won’t he? That’s the question — doubled — as Rick Perry moves on from what might have been and anticipates yet another year in the office he’s occupied for going on 13. Does the three-term governor want another four years when his term is up in 2014? Does he yearn for […]
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Top legislative leaders adopted a spending limit for the state budget Thursday – but Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and senators said they plan to come in well under the cap. Their statements raised eyebrows among House members on the Legislative Budget Board, who noted many factors will come into play in the budget-writing process for […]
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Gov. Rick Perry’s statement on President Obama’s re-election: “The American people have given President Obama a chance to start over. He can take steps this time to govern responsibly. He can work with, not against, Republicans in Congress and governors around the nation. He can put an end to his reckless disregard for our rule […]
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State tax increases are anathema in the GOP-dominated Legislature, and higher education is among areas feeling the resulting crunch. But local tax increases are a different matter, and the University of Texas System is the beneficiary. In a move led by state Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin, the UT system will get a new medical school […]
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Texas’ new U.S. senator-elect, Ted Cruz, has repeatedly taken a cautious approach when asked about how he’ll fill Kay Bailey Hutchison’s shoes when it comes to Texas’ share of federal funding. Cruz said while campaigning that he’ll work to see Texas gets a fair portion of “legitimate and important” federal spending but added, “I have […]
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Friday is the final day for early voting, and the state’s top elections official – Hope Andrade – urges Texans to take advantage of the more convenient way to cast a ballot. Secretary of State Andrade also reminds folks that Texas’ Photo ID law has been rejected by federal judges as violating the Voting Rights […]
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